Along with national pride, it seems that the members of the American team for the 2025 Ryder Cup will have another motivation when they meet their European counterparts at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, NY.
Too many zeros.
A vote by the PGA of America will ultimately determine how much American players are paid for playing in the Ryder Cup.
The American players who will compete in this event can earn approximately $400,000 per person according to the report. The payout structure, according to the Telegraph, will be similar to that of the President’s Cup in September — where the fee is matched by a donation made to a charity of each golfer’s choice.
However, there is a big difference between the President’s Cup and the Ryder Cup, according to The Telegraph.
First, the price. The President’s Cup prize pool was $250,000.
Second, who gets paid. While the players and captains of both teams are paid for the President’s Cup in Montreal, the European Ryder Cup golfers will not be paid — instead choosing to play for what European captain Luke Donald called the “interest” of golf and the country.
“It’s one week where you play more than you do,” Donald told The Telegraph. “It’s not about money or points, it’s about coming together as a team and the fans feed off that — it’s all about love. I don’t think we should be paid.”
Rory McIlroy was asked this week about the idea of compensation for taking part in the Ryder Cup and scoffed at the idea of needing money to tempt players to represent their side at an international tournament. McIlroy and the European team will not be directly tied to the PGA of America’s payment vote. The DP World Tour represents European players in Ryder Cup affairs.
“I personally would pay for the right to play in the Ryder Cup,” McIlroy said in an interview with BBC Sport. “The two purest forms of competition in our sport right now are the Ryder Cup and the Olympics, and it’s partly because of that — the purity of the lack of money involved.”
McIlroy said he understands “the other side” because of the money made in the event. He said Donald brought the players together to discuss their situation after learning where American golfers lean. But McIlroy said Team Europe’s deal was to donate the sum to the DP World Tour for other purposes.
“That $5 million could be better spent elsewhere on the DP World Tour to support other events or to support The Challenge Tour,” McIlroy said.
“I think we can all accept money if it doesn’t change power, but money will really change power. That’s why I think everyone is the same — let’s not do that.”
Shane Lowry said he worked hard to get the chance to play in the Ryder Cup and being involved was compensation enough.
“I love the competition, and I just want to be involved. I don’t care if I win or not,” he told the Irish Independent.
Discussions of Americans paying for the Ryder Cup have been brewing for decades. 1999 in Brookline, Mass. (one of the most popular Ryder Cup weekends in the event’s history), golfers including Tiger Woods voiced their opinions about players not getting paid despite the event costing several million dollars.
“I would like to see us get any amount, whether it’s $200,000, $300,000, $400,000, $500,000, and I think we should be able to keep the money and do whatever we see fit,” Woods told The Washington Post in 1999. “I personally would donate it all to the organization. With all the money that is made, we should have a say in where it goes.”
Charitable donations began to be made in the same year.
Pay-to-play in the Ryder Cup was a hot topic during last year’s tournament near Rome after American Patrick Cantlay did not wear a helmet during Saturday’s play. Many reports have suggested that he is not wearing a helmet as a protest against players not being paid. Cantlay denied that was the reason, instead saying the hat didn’t fit.
One anonymous European player told The Telegraph: “[The Americans] they can do whatever they want. But we don’t want payments in our bank accounts, as it will be a small end and not about the Ryder Cup.
“Let’s face it, most American players have been looking at this for years, if not decades.
“If it continues,” the player continued, “then it will be interesting to see how the fans react to Bethpage, although they will probably announce it as an extension of what has already happened.”
The 2025 Ryder Cup is scheduled to take place September 23-28.
The Americans hold a 27-14 all-time advantage in the event, although the Europeans have won five of the past seven tournaments, including a 16½-11½ win at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Italy in 2023.
The American team will be managed by Keegan Bradley in 2025.
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